Way To Go
by Dark Nothing
Summary: There are plenty of people who disgrace themselves in front of their crush. There are also plenty of those who disgrace themselves in front of their crush because of their friends. However, those who manage to retain their crush's interest after the disgracing business is over, are rare. Luckily, Baekhyun is one of them.
1. Medals

Author's note:

None of the people mentioned belong to me, due to the fact that they are not products of my imagination.

Every band mentioned has its original set of members even if not every member makes an appearance. I will not tolerate any complaints nor rude comments regarding this topic.

The story, on the other hand, is my own work. Similarities or references to movies, TV-shows and books may occur – again, these don't belong to me.

The Point Of View changes each chapter, while there are three POVs in total: Exo-K, Exo-M and Girls' Generation (Snsd)

-.-.-

 _My dreams become my weapon while the wounds I carry become my medals – Lu Han_

-.-.-

 **Luhan's POV**

Kai stood in front of me, his dark eyes narrowed in anger.

"Ya! What exactly are you trying to do?"

Breathe in. Breathe Out. Do not let him provoke you.

"Are you deaf or something?"

Too late.

"Well what do you think I'm trying to accomplish? I'm trying to get past your ugly face without having my eyes etched away."

I roll my eyes and shove past him, our shoulders colliding painfully yet I have no time to waste becoming annoyed over that. Lay and Xiumin trust me with this.

"Baby, you're the first girl to ever resist me. Don't worry though, I'll change your mind."

I clench my hands to fists as I felt my face redden in anger.

"What did you just say?"

" _I said I'll make you mine," his voice lowers a little, "Baby."_

" _Oh, nonononono! I'm a guy, can't you see that with those muddy eyes of yours?"_

" _What? You're a boy? No way, princess. Wait." He gets closer to me yet again, making me uncomfortable with his proximity. "Did you just call my eyes ugly?"_

" _Duh."_

 _I turn and head to the desk where the registration forms are laid out. I have to make sure that Xiumin and Lay are with the rest of us and don't end up with one of those Exo-K idiots._

 _A hand gripping my shoulder with way too much force stops me._

" _I don't allow people to insult me, pretty boy. Especially not one of your group."_

 _Oh, so now he recognizes me?_

" _I see. Explain to me again how I insulted you? Because that was definitely not my intention. I was merely stating a fact."_

 _I only realize that the hallway has gone deathly quiet as the gathered students let out a collective gasp. There was no way Kai could let me go without some kind of payback now._

 _When I saw his fist flying at me, I finally understood the meaning of being „battle high". The adrenaline in your blood causes the pain of your injuries to lessen and results in a higher pain tolerance. At the same time, it heightens your senses to every change around you, alerting you to attacks and allowing you to counter them almost without thinking._

 _I guess this is why despite the fact that Kai is stronger and taller and more muscular than me, I manage to give him a black eye and a split lip, as well as some pretty bad bruises that will definitely show for some time._

" _Luhan! Kai! What do you think you are doing?! This is the final straw, you two have detention! And Luhan, when the nurse is done with you, the headmaster will be waiting for you!"Through my swollen eyes, I could vaguely make out Kai, who stands there with a malicious grin slowly spreading over his dumb visage. I wish the teacher wasn't there, because then I could punch this stupid expression off of his face and make him regret bad-mouthing my friends and me._

 _I nod sullenly towards the teacher and get going. Seriously, why the old witch, of all people? All the fairytales you've ever heard about the beautiful young doctor that cares for any student and comforts them in all kinds of ways – believe me, they're all lies._

 _Our nurse is an age-old woman with greyish white hair, a rude attitude and laziness, and, on top of that, she has more wrinkles – just on her face, mind you – than all the years my friends and I have lived combined. This is the undeniable truth._

 _Then again, I'm sure that if you close your eyes, she puts on those hygienic white gloves of hers and you think about a warm summer breeze instead of her foul breath, you can simply pretend you're somewhere else altogether._

 _Anyways, when Kai and I finally make it to the batch's room, we are forcibly reminded that the witch, once she's nodded off, sleeps like one dead. Too bad she always wakes up again._

 _Kai snorts, and turns on his heel – while ignoring me completely, I might add – and stalks to the back of the already tiny room. He opens the medicine cabinet and pulls out antiseptic to clean and disinfect his lip._

 _Just when I think he's done and will step aside so I can clean my significantly worse injuries, he grins in that holier-than-thou-fashion that seriously pissed me off since forever and puts the antiseptic on the top shelf. Then he does the one-fingered salute, and sweeps by me, vanishing out the door._

 _That asshole._

 _-.-.-_

 _A little later I stand in front of the headmaster, a man in his mid-forties and a belly like a barrel, letting his spit spray all over me like a gentle spring rain._

 _Couldn't imagine a better way to spend my Wednesday afternoon, what about you?_

" _What do you think you are doing! This is the seventh time this year that you were summoned to this office! And you didn't even manage to wipe your face! You look like you got beaten by your pimp!"_

 _Is an invigilator even allowed to talk to a student like this?_

 _Insulted, I frown. I'm not some whore, I'm manly, damnit!_

" _Headmaster, sir, I really don't think it would be considered appropriate for you to talk to a student like this. So what if I am here the seventh time this year already? It wasn't my fault any of those times, including the argument today. It was Kai's fault entirely. I didn't start it, it wasn't my fault, and if I hadn't defended myself, you would be charged with breach of supervisory duty."_

 _The headmaster starts turning quite an interesting colour. He looks kind of like a high-pressure-pot. At least, I that's what I imagine such a thing would look like if made into human form._

" _THIS IS NOT ABOUT KAI! School started a mere month ago – and, I repeat myself, this is THE SEVENTH TIME ALREADY! Whatever kind of problem you have with the rest of the student body, get a grip! The next time you cause trouble, I'll expel you! Two months of daily detention and 20 hours with our psychologist are in order! And now GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"_

 _And boom, there he goes exploding. Like a high-pressure-pot._

" _To that shrink? I'm not going to let that psycho mind-fuck me! Sir, you cannot make me do that!"_

 _I don't have the time for this kind of shit, no way would I give Exo-K this kind of satisfaction._

 _Never._

" _HOW DARE YOU? Thirty hours and the detention for the rest of the semester! GET OUT!"_

 _Well…maybe I would make time for the shrink. I simply won't tell anybody except my friends, and they wouldn't ever rat anyone out to these Exo-K freaks._

 _Perfect._

 _-.-.-_

 _When I enter the room for detention, it's pretty quiet. Kai apparently has already fallen asleep, and besides us, there's only two other people in here. J-Hope from class C and a pretty annoyed-looking girl. She's one of Taeyeon's friends, right? Her name is…wait…Moony or something. It definitely has some relation to weather._

 _To be honest, I have no idea why so many people here have strange nicknames. I mean, J-Hope? Are you for real?_

 _With a sigh I flop down on the seat behind Kai. Time for some payback._

 _Now, I like to think of myself as a fairly reasonable person who doesn't do moronic things without a good reason. But, you see, as so many things in my life, my perception of myself proves to be wrong. Because, as fate would have it, here I sit in detention with several untreated cuts and blue-and-black bruises on my face._

 _Kai will definitely pay for that. I don't know how, but I will make him suffer for ruining my basically perfect record over his ego._

" _May I? Thanks" Without waiting for Moony's answer, I tear a sheet out of her notebook, tear it a few times and put it in my mouth._

 _The girl looks at me with disgust – if only she knew._

 _Carefully I rise from my seat and look for all unobscured exits. Over there is an open window and we're on the ground floor. Awesome._

 _Fast as lightning I spew the paper mash in Kai's oh-so-perfect hair, wait just long enough to see it slowly trickle down the nape of his neck as he wakes with a freaked-out yell, and make my escape out the open window._

 _Behind me, Cloudy squeaks something sounding like "Eww, disgusting" and I hear Kai's enraged scream._

" _Oh my god! DIE, YOU BITCH!"_

 _Yep, a completely normal Wednesday afternoon._


	2. Getting on with it

_Life is only a path of efforts – Byun Baekhyun_

-.-.-

"You won't believe what happened to Kai just now"

Our maknae, Sehun, saunters over to us, hands in his pockets and a lazy grin on his usually unimpressed face.

Somehow, he looks too happy for his mood to solely be Kai's responsibility.

"Why? What did you do this time?" A dark shadow appears beneath his bangs as D.O's eyes glint dangerously. Although Sehun has at least two heads on his hyung I wouldn't want to be in his place at the moment.

Especially not when it was about Kai's wellbeing.

"Me? I didn't do anything! Kai's the one to blame for his misfortune," Sehun protests, raising his chin in defiance. "But his sacrifice has an upside, too – we really got one over Exo-M with this."

Chanyeol, of course, is immediately all for it, while I cannot hold back a grin of my own. "Really? What did you do?

Kai chooses this moment to round the corner – dripping wet with his hair and the back of his shirt soaked through. He looks at the ground as if trying to incinerate it with his will alone. Entirely uncaring that his school uniform has made a transition from pure white to perfectly see-through. Entirely uncaring that all the girls from the volleyball team are giggling as they stare at his muscled body.

"That bastard," he hisses under his breath as he runs a hand through his already mussed hair, causing him to frown and remove his hand at once in order to wipe it on his pants.

I stare at him, slightly bemused at this uncharacteristic display.

"Luhan spit in his hair, punched him in the face and split his lip in the process," Sehun helpfully explains, grinning malevolently at Kai, who – thankfully – fails to notice it.

As if on cue, Chanyeol and I start laughing. My throat convulses, I can't get any air in my lungs but can't stop laughing. Next to me, Chanyeol smacks his own knee repeatedly, abandoning social etiquette and leans on D.O, who steps aside feebly and makes Yeol kiss the ground involuntarily. This sight prompts another laughing fit from me as I, too, sink to the floor where I use one of my hands to support my shaking body and the other to hold my hurting side.

A severe look from Suho makes us try to hold back the laughter – the volleyball girls already look at us funny – but as soon as our eyes meet, Yeol and I break out laughing yet again.

With an exasperated sigh D.O rolls up his sleeves. Chanyeol and I promptly snap our mouths shut and try to stand on still shaky legs. We lean against one another to keep from toppling over, panting and grinning all the while.

Tears of laughter still blur my sight, yet when Suho raises his voice the horror is so clear on his face that even I can make it out.

"Please tell me you didn't do anything that jeopardizes my position as the head boy, Kai! It took me ages to get all the votes I needed!"

Sehun dismisses Suho's worries with a wave of his hand. His facial muscles are under perfect control once more – resting bitch face, indeed – and replies: "As if. Kai simply stopped Luhan from filling out some applications for the after school clubs for Xiumin and Lay. So I took the liberty to put them into ornithology, since we all know just how terrified those two are of pigeons and the like."

"Lay is even afraid of fish, isn't he? Oh, my god" The corner of my mouth started twitching.

The Exo-M member was incredibly easily frightened, but still not a match for Tao. Should someone one day invent a prize for 'The most shed tears per week', that guy would win it without a doubt. He may look like an assassin or hitman, but in truth he was nothing but a little girl on the inside.

That's Exo-M for you – nothing but a bunch of wimps and crybabys.

-.-.-

The next day starts with a confrontation at my locker.

Tao and Kris have backed Kai and Sehun into a corner and glare at them with their eyes promising murder.

Kai's face shows nothing but the haughty smirk he loves to put on so he can hide his true feelings underneath it.

Sehun has a similar tactic, where he simply shows no emotion at all whenever he talks with others, which kind of just makes him even scarier than usual.

"Because of you freaks Ly and Xiumin are in ornithology! Do you people even realize what that means?!" Kris is in the process of bellowing when I join the fray.

"But of course. That's what happens if you keep sticking your nose in someone else's business," Kai raises an eyebrow disdainfully and scrutinizes Tao, adding "Why do you come crying to us, crybaby? Better get back to your Gege or whatever you call him and obsess over Titanic, that'll probably help. Since, you know, crying together seems to be your way of solving problems."

Tao's face flushes with anger and embarrassment, his fingers twitching tellingly. Before my poor locker becomes a victim of his wrath, I jump in to its rescue.

"Ya! What are you guys doing? Fuck off to your own lockers if you want to argue!" The only reason my face and nose are still intact is the fact that I'm older than Tao. Only Kris could start trouble for me, but by the looks of it, his hands are full. A sobbing Lay runs towards him, stammers something that sounds Chinese and squeezes Kris' upper arm like a lifeline.

"You are going to regret this," Tao hisses. With that, they leave, though not without glaring at us as if we're vermin that should be exterminated.

If hateful words and other people's wrath could kill, I have died a hundred times over by now. But a Byun is tough to kill, so I guess I'll be around for a while yet.

I turn to look at Kai and Sehun, who still stand in the same spot and scowl after the Exo-M members fiercely.

"Oh, by the way, I really meant what I just said," I inform, "I need to get to my locker, go play somewhere else." I push my way past them to my locker, yanking it open with more force than strictly necessary.

A wave of stifling air, smelling of decay and dust wafts into my face. I instinctively close my eyes and hold my breath, while Sehun and Kai get hit without any warning.

They flee, coughing and cussing all the way to the cafeteria. Their bad.

Maybe I should have mentioned that I share a locker with Chanyeol; neither of us is big on the whole cleaning stuff. Still, we have to get that locker empty tomorrow – apparently some students had already complained to the secretary about a 'horrible smell' coming from locker 534. In my opinion it could've just as well been locker 535, but nobody's listening to me anyways. Fine.

And where is the co-occupier of our locker, anyways? He and D.O are suspiciously absent. It wasn't a secret that Suho liked to use the time before the first bell rang to go over his notes in the time normal people copied nerd's homework.

Suho also liked to discuss ways to improve the school with the headmaster so he could proceed with various suggestions coming from students of all terms. The suggestions came without reprieve during the schoolyear, and all of them needed to be given consideration. Few were ever rejected without an attempt to realize them.

If I got Suho right, that is.

He supposedly has help from the head girl, who puts a lot of time and effort into helping Suho. Personally, I cannot imagine Suho ever needing or wanting help from anyone…

My thoughts are interrupted by Luhan, who briskly walks down the corridor with his arm around a blond girl. I can't see her face, buried against his body as it is.

So that's how it is. That guy obviously isn't half as innocent as he always pretends to be. I can relate, really. Her ass is incredible.

The bell's shrill ringing right next to me jerks me out of my stupor, forcing me to avert my eyes from the beautiful sight of the blond's ass. I rub my ear with a grimace.

And then it dawns on me. I haven't done my homework yet again.

Damn.


	3. The Proposal

" _Between people who truly care about and love each other, there are times where you don't need to say anything at all" – Kim Taeyeon_

-.-.-

 **Taeyeon's POV**

BamBam raises his shoulders helplessly, shuffling his feet a little. He looks at the ground contritely and kicks pebbles my way. His white sneakers reflect the sun's light, blinding me slightly when I look at them, irritated.

"I'm really sorry, Noona. I forgot submitting the worksheets…" He mumbles. I like BamBam, really. But sometimes, I wonder how he's come this far with his way of doing things. He never finishes work, even with the deadline coming up, and he doesn't take After-School activities. He's intelligent, but he just doesn't go the extra mile.

Then, it sinks in.

"You forgot what?!" I never knew my voice could sound like that, all high and squeaky. My hand twitches, but I refuse to cover my mouth. I can't let the other students see my distress.

"I didn't mean to, but then Jackson took me to the cinema, and then we got ice cream and talked it got late and then I….kinda…forgot all about it"

I regard him silently. Our classmates are going to murder us, no doubt, and since I'm the one in charge, I'm likely the first.

Those worksheets are due today and make up 15% of our grade this semester. I take a look at my watch and gasp. Screw today, those papers are due in two minutes!

"What are you waiting for? Hand them over!"

Internally panicking I take the papers from BamBam, noticing how painstakingly neat they look. This is only fleeting, though, as I start running. For my life. Figuratively.

"Thank you, Noona!" BamBam yells from somewhere behind me.

The things I do for my classmates.

It only takes a few minutes for my hair to stick to my forehead and the back of my neck and my breath to come fast and panting. It feels as if someone repeatedly stabs my side with a knife but I cannot afford to stop so close to reaching my goal.

Dodging students left and right, I cross the yard –an excellent shortcut, I might add – dash through the entrance hall, ascend three flights of stairs and, with a final burst of strength, push open the teacher lounge's door, standing in the threshold sweaty, breathless and exhausted.

I seriously need to do more training. My lack of stamina is embarrassing.

"Taeyeon, how nice of you to make an appearance sometime this year," The deputy headmistress greets me with a chilling smile. "Those papers come late. Three minutes late, to be exact."

Oh, wow. It just took me five minutes from the east to the west wing.

"I truly am sorry, seonsaengnim," I answer, straightening my posture and tucking any stray strands of my hair behind my ear.

"You are the head girl and as such, I expect better from you in the future. It is your responsibility to act as a role model for the other students." She raises her eyebrow and holds out a hand. "Well?"

-.-.-

Sighing, I lean my forehead against the cool metal of my locker and sigh in bliss. The heat that has bottled up inside me from my spontaneous sprint slowly subsides, leaving me just the right side of warm.

"Yoyoyo!" I can't help but smile at the sound of this oh-so-familiar voice. That little idiot again.

"What's up, my very favourite human?"

Luhan's hands close around my shoulders to turn me around so he can grin at me mischievously.

"Oh, not much," I smile back exhaustedly, "Just BamBam. He missed the deadline again." I shrug. "And locker 534 is still not cleared out. We have to get rid of that smell, even the teacher's started to notice. Suho should have handled i- Oh God, _what happened to your face?!"_

My best friend frowns and smoothes his crimson-dyed hair back with his left hand.

"Kai happened, what else? Injuries without disinfectant… well, apparently it doesn't work all that well. Whatever, I'm manly enough to take a little pain. Your dilemma, however, once again sounds like quite the tragedy. Don't worry, though, I have the perfect solution."

For a split second, hope flares. Maybe he has a good plan to help me out. He often has, he just goes a little overboard, sometimes.

Luhan is a responsible guy. He always supports me, whether it be student council work or baking a cake for my friend's birthday. He even punched a man in the face for trying to grab my bottom, once.

In most aspects, he is like the older brother I always wanted.

Yet, sometimes his well-meaning is ruined by his friends.

Last time he had the "perfect solution", he and the rest of Exo-M broke into my house at prom night, starting flashlights with their mobile phones to cheer me up and stop me from worrying about my looks in the red dress I'd worn. Needless to say, my fear of cameras only got worse.

"You'll love it, I promise! I know you've been feeling down ever since that brainless asshole up and left – silence, I know I'm right, you can't hide that from me – so I got you a date! Again, I demand silence, no need to tell me that I'm a genius, I know that. So, now you may talk. "He looks at me imploringly. "Well? What do you say?"

Alright, Luhan tends to be a bit overwhelming. It's hard to say no to those eyes.

"I'll think about it, alright? I kind of have my hands full with the art contest and student council work, so I have to check my schedule, but I'll try." His puppy dog eyes intensify. I sigh. "For when is the date planned? And it better not be with Xiumin again. Quit trying to set me up with him, alright, Lu?"

I like Xiumin. I like him as a friend. He's funny and nice, and he has manners. We contemplated dating, but after Luhan's set-up we realized we are better off as 'just-friends'. The both of us were relieved to stay in the friend-zone.

"No, it isn't Xiumin. As I already said, I'm a genius and never make the same mistake _twice._ Even if you two really have a lot in common…" My look shut him up quickly, "but fine. The date is on Friday, so no stress. And wear something nice, alright?"

Without giving me a chance to protest, he wraps his arm around my shoulders and drags me in the direction of our classroom. We pass locker 534 and I resolve – once again – to press Suho about taking care of the matter. It really smells horrible.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a blond boy staring at the locker absentmindedly before he slaps his hand against his forehead and turns his back to us. He's too fast for me to catch more than a fleeting glimpse of a pretty face.

-.-.-

At lunchbreak, Tiffany, Seohyun and I arrive first at our table. The cafeteria is bustling, as usual, though not because of the smells wafting from the kitchen but because it is forbidden to leave the school grounds during classes.

Maknae Seohyun stares at her food with disdain, but I'm too hungry to be bothered by the taste. Also, since the locker debacle I'm pretty toughened to mundane obstacles such as smell or taste.

Sunny interrupts my contemplation of unsolved problems by unceremoniously dropping her tray next to me on the table.

Her blue mane of hair gets even messier as she runs both hands through it as though checking for stray leaves after flopping down into the seat next to mine.

Tiffany gives her a sympathetic smile and asks how bad detention was. Seohyun's screech interrupts her answer.

"You got detention? Why? What happened? Did you do something?"

Sunny shakes her head, no.

"Nothing important. I just had too many… unauthorized free periods. Not my fault that chemistry is boring. Anyways," she turns towards me abruptly, "how can you be friends with such idiots? His antics are getting more childish by the day, I'm telling you!"

For a second, I see Luhan's split and infected lip before me and shudder lightly. Poor Lu.

"What did you see?"

Sunny ruffles her hair again and makes a frustrated noise at the back of her throat.

"Luhan and Kai apparently got detention, too. Kai was sleeping and Luhan's gloriously gross idea of spitting my textbook's paper – nicely chewed and pulpy, mind you – into his hair. I'm impressed that he hasn't rubbed off on you yet."

Jessica, who just arrived at the table, laughs.

"I understand that he's hot, Taeyeon, but his behaviour is really revolting. Maybe you should heighten your standards…"

The girls look at me sympathetically, because no matter how often I tell them that Luhan and I are friends _nothing else, thank you very much,_ they just don't believe me.

"I'll ask him about it." I'm not in the mood to explain that Luhan most likely got provoked. I saw how Kai and D.O watch Luhan as if waiting for a chance to get him alone. It worries me, in how much trouble Luhan is getting lately.

Then, the rest of the girls join us and preoccupy me with chatter and schoolwork, taking my mind entirely off of Luhan and other matters.

-.-.-

"Taeyeon, wait! Oi! Taeyeon!"

A male voice calls for me and I slow my jog to a lengthy stride to let him catch up.

"You submitted a drawing to the contest, right? The rankings are on the bulletin board!"

Without a second thought, I start running for me life the second time that day, only to come to a stop when faced with a huge crowd of students of both gender.

Minho looks like he contemplates something before he cracks his knuckles and throws a grin my way.

"Ready?"

 _For what?_ I want to ask, but before I get the chance, he's hoisted me up on his shoulders, making the school uniform's skirt ride up. Oh no. I blush crimson and hasten to hide my underwear from the rest of the student body.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

"Just look at the board! You did it, Taeyeon!"

Narrowing my eyes, I lean forward to better read the names of the top five. And truly, there it is, third place, Kim Taeyeon.

I lean back, relieved, lightly petting Minho's hair.

"I did it!" The brown-haired boy, sharing my elation, starts jumping up and down in the same manner I would have, doing pirouettes when I don't stop him. I laugh with joy, but a hand on my ankle stops Minho from moving again.

"Does that mean you'll come to the date?" Luhan's grin is blinding.

I signal for Minho to let me down and take Luhan's hand.

"Sure, but only if you stop letting Kai or the other Exo-K boys beat you up. Alright?"

I raise my pinky, and he intertwines his with it.

"Pinky promise. Nice underwear, by the way. I told you - red is your colour."


	4. Promises

" _Don't give up your dreams and keep working towards them" – Lu Han_

 **Luhan's POV**

What did I do to deserve this?

The life of a student is hard – you always have to carry that bag with all those heavy books, always have to be prepared for all those tests, and you always are surrounded by the same idiots.

Seriously. Either it's the teachers who're plain dumb and make you question how they got their diploma, or it's those who believe that their subject is the 'most important' and should be given 'undivided attention'.

Or, like me, you end up in a class full of dumbasses whose other attendants have an average IQ of 10 and somehow still end up getting high marks.

How unfair.

But, as I'm sure you all know already, life is hard.

Thank God there is only one of the K-idiots, a goblin named 'D.O'. I guess that name stems from his eyes, being all weird and stuff. Once upon a time, his nickname was 'Satansoo' and frankly, I like that version a lot better. Whether it's because it just summons up his character or because his voice is just the nickname's polar opposite, I'm not sure.

Whatever.

Anyways, I just spotted Xiumin with his hands in his pockets and a melancholic look in his eyes. The bird-drama may be a bigger emotional roller-coaster than I thought at first…when I was still in denial about how gigantic my mess-up actually is.

"Yoyoyo!" I yell, throwing my arm around his neck. It's pretty easy to hold Umin-Ge like this, since he's pretty small…only talking about his height, of course.

"Ge, stop that," he mumbles and tries to get out of my grip.

I'd like to say that he has to work hard in order to do that, but that'd be a lie. My neck doesn't appreciate being squeezed by his arm, what with the sudden headlock I find myself in and all.

It's very uncomfortable, especially when you're taller than your bully and your back has to bend like this.

"Mercy, Baozi, mercy!" I croak, trying to get some air into my lungs.

I really cannot allow my reputation to be damaged like this. I'm in a gang, damnit.

And, oh miracle of miracles, Xiumin lets go of me to pick up his bookbag which apparently had slipped to the floor during our one-sided scrimmage.

"Ew, Ge! Your lip looks really yukky – like, horrifying. Stay away from me"

He really doesn't have to be that harsh. A Luhan never looks horrifying. I repeat: _never._ But whatever, my best friend is a little OCD, of course my – otherwise wonderful – lips would make him a bit anxious.

"Yeah, yeah, let's go, we're already late."

And with that, I drag him with me to the classroom so we can be surrounded by idiots together.

"He did what? Oh, you gotta be kidding me!" Chanyeol moans and loses more brain cells than he can afford by hitting his forehead against his hand. Not the other way around.

"I'm not. He left me there like the ass he sometimes is, without any money but food on the table. He said he wanted to take me out but then apparently had other things to do – after ordering, I might add - and only paid for his dinner, but not mine, even though I told him to pay for me since he basically bribed me to keep him company.

"He'll never find a girlfriend when he can't even take out his friends, for God's sake. I spent the entire evening washing dishes to compensate for the dinner like the last plebeian. I'm never going to fall for something like this again, and Hyung, I just can't get the smell of dishwater out of my hair!" Sehun's pouting, and seriously, if he weren't an Exo-K, I'd be tempted to call him cute.

But really, pouting doesn't match his reputation. Because since when does he let anyone past the whole bitchface-façade he has going on? And since when is it Chanyeol who gets to see him like that?

Exo-K's are dumbasses, just as I keep telling you. Can't even uphold their reputation.

"Sehun, I bet he left you alone on purpose. His pranks aren't as funny and harmless as they used to be…" Chanyeol frowns lightly. How unattractive. "We have to stop him"

Under normal circumstances I would have left them alone, but they have piqued my interest now. Playing a prank on the master? I can't ignore that, so I stay right where I am, safely hidden behind my book.

"But Baekhyun thinks of basically everything as funny. The only way to humble him a little would be utter destruction. The absolute devastation of his self-confidence, laying waste to his social status, meaning –"Sehun breaks off, leaning forward expectantly, a grin slowly stretching across his face.

"Girls," I mumble. If there's anything that can unsettle Baekhyun, it would be a girl. The more confident and rigorous, the better.

"What are you doing here?!" Exo-K's maknae hisses at me and rips the book from my grasp. How rude.

Behind him, Chanyeol draws himself up to his full height, making me swallow. You don't wanna mess with him, even less than with Kai, I mean just look at him arms. Where does he get muscles like those?

"I'm, uh, reading. Obviously."

"You held your book upside down," Chanyeol says, somewhat bored.

Fuck. I should've been more careful. Then again, what was there left to lose?

"Alright, fine. Let's say it like this: I was here before you and if you had even a little brain in those empty heads of yours, you would've checked your surroundings before discussing 'private' matters. But," I raise my hand to stop Sehun from interrupting me, "luckily for you, I will deign to… _assist_ you."

"And why, exactly, do you want to help us? Not that we need your help," the maknae is pissed, no doubt about it. Again, if he weren't one of Exo-K…

Chanyeol, on the other hand, raises his eyebrow – which just makes him look dumber – and chews his lower lips thoughtfully.

"Okay, let's imagine you were to help us. What's in it for you?"

Hook, line, sinker.

"I have my reasons but I promise I won't demand anything in return for my assistance. See it as a… favour. For old time's sake. I already have the perfect girl."

This time, Sehun also looks interested. He still eyes me warily, though, so I shoot him a challenging glare.

"The perfect girl? You _do_ realize that we want to humiliate Baekhyun, not actually get him a girlfriend, right?"

I snort derisively.

"Of course I do. Unlike some, I'm not an idiot. This is why I propose Taeyeon. She's the head girl, self-confident and values manners. Since Baekhyun is afraid to mess up in front of girls, he'll be even more terrified of messing up in front of her, since she's not only a beauty but clever as well. So, you two just have to make sure that he agrees to a blind date and I will take care of the rest. Deal?"

Chanyeol shrugs and shoots a grin in Sehun's direction.

"Deal"

His big hand grabs mine and nearly squishes it, but I grit my teeth and pretend that everything's fine. I can't lose face in front of the 'Happy Virus'.

The maknae scrunches up his eyebrows and nods slowly.

"Deal. But that does not mean that I can tolerate you on a regular basis."

With that, his hand grasps mine.

"Fine."

Oh.

There she is.

"Yoyoyo. What's up, my favourite human?"

"I just cannot believe it. I'm very disappointed in all of you. I thought you'd at least be smart enough to reveal the identity of the culprit. If he steps up now, I will not get angry and there won't be any repercussions."

Precisely because that speech is already age-old nobody buys it anymore. Of course the teachers will punish the person who sprayed the door of the teacher's lounge and the secretariat in a vibrant red colour.

"Fine. D.O, you are responsible for finding the culprit. Luhan, if you don't want to be suspected, you will help him."

 _Say what?!_

"Oh, _hell no_. Never, seonsaegnim. You can't make me do that! I have enough work with school and homework and-"

"I couldn't care less what you have to do. You will find the person responsible for this, together with D.O, and if it is the last thing you do in this school!" And with that, she vanishes with a flourish.

I clutch my forehead with a defeated groan. Satansoo doesn't look all too happy, either.

Why is it always me? Isn't it enough that I'm helping those other two freaks? I mean, it's not like I'm doing it out of the kindness of my heart, but still, I'm doing it so Taeyeon can have a little fun. She seriously needs it after the disastrous ending of her last relationship. And Baekhyun is funny, and when he completely disgraces himself in front of her, she'll forget her worries for a while.

"Alright, let's go"

D.O turns around and heads for his K-friends. Not with me, buddy.

"Oh nonononono. Without me. You do your part of this ridiculous assignment, I do mine. If I find that wannabe-punk before you, well, that only proves that we're better," I grin maliciously.

"Whatever. But if you fail to help, I'll tell seonsaegnim. And with that, your school career will be pretty much over."

What. Did. I. Do. To. Deserve. This?!

When we reach the uncooler half of what used to be Exo, I'm scrutinized. Only Chanyeol is grinning – if not friendly – and Baekhyun looks like he's spaced out.

"He's supposed to find the vandal with me," Satansoo explains without making a face before Kai can spit any obscenities in my face. What a loser.

"Baek, I promise this is an absolute Win-Win-situation. Since you'll sleep over anyways, you can just go to the date from my house and come back afterwards – or not." Chanyeol wriggled his eyebrows, prompting me to roll my eyes.

As if I would allow Baekhyun to touch my Taeyeon.

"Are you sure that she's pretty? And talkative?" He sounds – and looks – really anxious, and Happy Virus smiles in response.

"Of course I am, don't you trust me? Besides, your parents would stop the matchmaking for at least a while."

Ah. Apparently I simply am too good for this world, then. Because if Baekhyun's parents leave him alone, it will be because of my glorious idea only. He'll be indebted to me forever.

The thought, despite my misery, almost makes me grin.

"Does that mean you'll come to the date?" I ask Taeyeon, whose face is glowing with pride and joy.

Minho lets her slip from his shoulders and she raises her pinky.

"Sure, but only if you stop letting Kai or the other Exo-K boys beat you up. Alright?"

I don't even have to promise that, since a short period of peace will not be avoidable. But of course, she doesn't know that. "Pinky promise. Nice underwear, by the way. I told you - red is your colour."

Taeyeon blushes crimson, and punches my shoulder with a weak fist.

"I've got to go, be nice to Minho, ya?"

And there she goes. Perfect timing.

The brown-haired boy is on the verge of disappearing into the crowd before my hand finds its way to his shoulder.

"Minho, wait. You work at this café, don't you?"

He nods bemused and looks at me expectedly.

"You can still remember that favour you owe me, for that one time I took the fall for you? Alright, listen…"


	5. Encounters with Stupidity

" _I learned the truth that there is nothing in this world that is easy" – Byun Baekhyun_

 **Baekhyun's POV**

"Are you sure that she's pretty? And talkative?"

Chanyeol nods and smiles at me. I'm happy he's my friend…what would I do without him, after all?

"Of course she is, why don't you just trust me? Besides, your parents would stop with the matchmaking for a while."

True. Should I manage to get a girlfriend during the next half a year, my mother would finally stop playing Cupid and my father would quit telling everyone in his company what a great son I was – and how very single.

Why couldn't they trust me? I'm only seventeen, there's seriously no need for a girlfriend yet!

Not to say that I'd hate to have one, if only the girls my parents constantly introduce me to were at least partially my type. But no, they always were boring and had squeaky voices. There is nothing, absolutely nothing worse than a voice that sounds like nails on a chalkboard – aside from Exo-M.

"Alright, Chanyeol, but promise that you'll keep my type in mind, will you?"

Then again, this really shouldn't be a problem – Chanyeol knows me since kindergarten. If there's someone who knows about my preferences, it's definitely him.

"Sure, who do you take me for?" His smile broadens. "So, you're coming over after school, right? My Marco Polo shirt kinds shrunk during washing, so I guess you can have it. Besides, we can't really leave you to your own devices, your lack of fashion sense may drive her away before you even sit down."

I glare at Chanyeol. Seriously?

"As if your fashion sense is any better!"

He only grins in response. "Course not, that's why he'll be joining us," Chanyeol says, pointing at Sehun.

It's settled, it seems.

"Baekhyun, stop!"

Suho comes running for me, out of breath and sweating. His black hair sticks to his forehead and he looks kind of disturbed, not that it matters to all the giggling girls staring at him.

How is it possible that all of my friends had a shitload of admirers, while I couldn't even get my teacher's attention most of the time?

"I've been looking for you everywhere! Good that I finally found you, at least one person I can rely on. Since Chanyeol is nowhere to be found – not that I blame him, busy schedules and all – you'll have to take care of your locker. You have only until next Monday to get rid of that smell, alright? Taeyeon dropped off three more complaints from different students, all concerning your and Chanyeol's locker."

 _Taeyeon? Huh?_

Suho must've seen my confused look, because he's squeezing my shoulder encouragingly.

"The head girl. My partner in all things organizational, you know?"

Oh, okay. And here I thought our mom had gotten himself a girlfriend without telling his sons.

"Anyways, you really have to take care of this, the sooner the better – trust me, for both our sakes." He shudders lightly, and I wonder just how scary this Taeyeon is. I've heard about her before, that she's beautiful and hard-working, and that she pulls no punches. Intimidating.

"Promise me, Baekhyun! I have more important things to do than constantly being reminded to remind you about your responsibilities…oh my, is it that late already? I gotta go, don't forget about your locker, Baekhyun!"

And he's already disappeared around the corner. What a busy-body.

"Oh my God, Chanyeol, do you even have clothes left to wear? Your apartment is a mess…I do not understand how you convinced your parents to let you stay in a shared flat. With Kai, no less."

Sehun turns up his nose and demonstratively turns away from the mountain of unwashed underwear that's rotting away in the corner of the room. Well, at least Kai opened the windows beforehand, that's why the smell isn't half as bad as it used to be.

"Sehun, would you stop talking like you're having a midlife crisis already? You're younger than me, act like it!" God bless you, Chanyeol. Or maybe not, because I don't actually appreciate my clothes landing all over the floor just so Chanyeol can sit on the couch.

"So, Baekhyun. The most important thing about this date is that you leave a good impression. You may not meet a person with a high social standing, but you still want to be memorable. In a good way, of course, so you can not, under any circumstances, be late. Got it?"

I nod, swallowing. That couldn't be too hard. Luckily, even if I completely fucked it up, it wouldn't be a big deal. After all, it was just some random girl, not one I would need to see again if it didn't work out.

Once, my parents had introduced me to a girl that I was simply unable to get rid of. Our evening had been just horrible, yet my mother insisted to give her my phone number. As if that alone wasn't enough, she is always around for my father's dinner parties. Urgh.

"Sehun, why don't you go and prepare the clothes? The shirt is already on my bed, and jeans should be somewhere in the bathroom…I think. I don't know about accessories, I'll have to leave those to you."

My best friend sends the maknae off with a wink and a grin. Sehun immediately makes his way to the bathroom, presumably to look for my jeans. Maybe pants would be a better choice? The jeans was a little washed out, as far as I could remember…didn't girls think that that meant the boy was disorganized and messy?

When I voice my concerns to Yeol, he just starts laughing and messes up my hair.

"No, in combination with the shirt it will look amazing. But, if you want a better explanation, just ask Sehun."

As if on cue, our fashion expert appears, my jeans and the shirt neatly folded over his left arm and the right one behind his back. He kinda looks like a waiter…

"Hyung, you should go and take a shower. You will leave a bad impression otherwise. When you're done, just put on the bathrobe I prepared for you and come back out."

Chanyeol, in response to Sehun's words, pulls me up and pushes me towards the bathroom door.

I catch a mumbled "Is everything prepared? Good" before I close the door behind me.

Whatever, it couldn't be too bad, they were my friends, after all.

I quickly take off my clothes and jump under the shower's hot spray, wondering since when Kai and Chanyeol share the same shampoo and bodywash. Doesn't it run out, like, real quick?

Shrugging, I reach for the shampoo. It's pink, and when I massage it into my hair, I smell strawberries. Strange, neither Kai nor Chanyeol ever smell like that in school…but oh well, it's too late now.

When I'm done, I grab a towel off the rag and rub myself dry. Pulling on the bathrobe, I pass by the steamed-up full-body mirror into the living room.

Funny, even Sehun is grinning when he sees me, gesturing for me to come over.

"I'll style your hair, you just put on these, okay, hyung? Those bracelets too, and the necklace. They suit the rest of the outfit well and will bring out your eyes."

I guess I have no choice but to follow Sehun's orders, so I just pull on the clothes and resign myself to my fate.

Well, I have to admit, this place is nicer than I thought it would be.

It's a café, a hole-in-the-wall, out of the way place, but cozy and apparently very popular, judging from the people chatting inside. Their eyes follow me as I enter and make my way through the ground floor, to the stairs that will lead me to the patio where the mysterious, hopefully talkative girl is waiting.

I'm glad that Sehun helped me with the outfit. Girls usually giggle if they think a guy is hot, right? Well then, Sehun has outdone himself, because as I pass, every single one starts to do just that.

I feel myself blush and curse inwardly, relieved when the cool evening air hits my face, cooling me down nicely.

Just when I think everything's going to be alright, I see my date for the first time.

She sits there, with her blond hair cascading down her back like a waterfall, some strands artistically framing her beautiful face, her long lashes framing incredible, blueish eyes. They remind me of the ocean, so deep and fathomless.

The only thing I can say in the face of such beauty is, "Wow. I didn't think you'd actually be pretty."

Her smile freezes.


	6. Pretty in Pink

" _You have to smile. Smile like you're really excited" – Kim Taeyeon_

 **Taeyeon's POV**

When I get out of the shower, I go over my schedule for tomorrow. Just because I have a date tonight does not mean I can afford to slack off, being the head girl, and now a participant in the art contest. I need to finish my drawing by Friday, and there's still the issue with the locker.

And, of course, the incident with the sprayer.

My life would be easier if this kind of thing never happened. And the worst part about this incident isn't that it disgraces the school's image, but the fact that some of the teachers think that Luhan is the perpetrator.

It is a ridiculous notion, of course. Luhan may not always think before he acts – he is a sensitive person, after all – and he does overreact, sometimes, but he would never do something of that scale. This is destruction of public property, not some schoolboy prank. Therefore, it is something Luhan would never be involved with.

Speaking of Lu, he should be coming any minute now, and I still haven't fixed my hair or chosen my clothing for tonight…

I'll go with a red neckholder and jeans – not too classy and not too sassy. Since Luhan refused to tell me what kind of person I am meeting tonight, aside from "Don't worry, he's funny and our age" I'll not dress to impress, but to feel comfortable.

I can hear a car's horn hooting from outside. Luhan, for once in his life, is right on time.

"Gosh, Taeyeon, seeing you dressed up always makes me wish that our school didn't have uniforms."

I roll my eyes. "And you wonder why everyone thinks we're dating"

Luhan snorts and speeds up to cross the road before the traffic light jumps to red. While I'm recuperating from my almost-heart attack, Luhan changes gears and slows down – a little.

"Taeyeon, don't get me wrong, but I'd never date you. I'm not into incest."

It's an insider between him and me, that since we're as close as normally only siblings are, us dating would be incestuous. It still makes me laugh.

"Don't worry, namdongsaeng. I wouldn't molest you."

"What a relief," he replies, voice deadpan.

I enter the café five minutes early. It's just enough time to re-apply some mascara and lip-gloss, nothing too burdensome. I've foregone eye-shadow as well as nail polish, not intent on looking perfect, just, well, pretty.

"Hey, Taeyeon. What can I get you?"

My head turns in surprise when I hear Minho's voice. I didn't know he's working here! Or that he has a part-time job he needs to manage along with his other schedules.

"Minho! Well, aside from some information on how you managed to hide this job from me, mineral water with a sprig of lemon would be lovely"

He gives me a blinding smile. "Coming right up, Noona"

"Don't think I'll let you get away that easily," I laugh, and he smiles again.

"Alright, but if I get fired you'll have to find me a new job" Once again, I find myself laughing, and mentally make a note to thank Luhan for his wonderful idea.

Just when Minho starts explaining how he ended up at the café after getting kicked out of the gaming hall, another waiter calls for Minho's help, leaving me alone at the table on the patio. Some guests leave, others come…among them, a boy I think I've seen somewhere before, but no, there aren't any boys with pink hair attending our school aside from RapMonster one class under me.

Nevertheless, I can't help but smile when his eyes find mine, so open and mischievous.

"Wow. I didn't think you'd actually be pretty."

O-kay.

"Well, I didn't think you'd have such exotic hair."

Just wait, Luhan. You're going to suffer.

The boy smiles sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "No, please don't get me wrong, it's just that my friend, Chanyeol, sometimes messes with me when it comes to dates, and I thought just now that the chances of someone as beautiful as you actually waiting here for me are really, like, super-slim and oh my god, please tell me you won't leave because I don't think I could ever forgive myself for scaring you away, and shit, I really hope you don't mind that I haven't brought you flowers or anything, but as I already said, my friend-"

My eyes are getting rounder and rounder the longer the other talks in a flurry of words that sound like gibberish. All I can actually make out is "beautiful", "leave", "shit" and "flowers", but it's really adorable how he tries to explain himself, even if he sound more and more panicky the longer I just stare.

I clear my throat and smile. "My name is Taeyeon, and yours?"

His mouth snaps shut with a _click,_ and he smiles awkwardly. "Baekhyun. I probably talked too much, sorry about that. But really," he says earnestly, "don't leave. I would never be able to live it down."

"Okay"

"Mineral water with a sprig of lemon, and what can I get your – Baekhyun?"

Baekhyun looks at Minho as if he were a ghost. "Minho, um, hey, how are you?"

"I'm fine. What can I get you?"

Is it just me or are those two not on the best of terms?

"Oh, just water is fine, please"

"Right away" Minho turns, leaving us alone.

"Okay, so. I know this wasn't the best start. Yeah. My name is Byun Baekhyun, I love listening to music, I am not as weird as the rumours say, my best friend is Chanyeol, my parents are really annoying me and I don't think I've ever seen someone as pretty as you."

In a way, what he said just now makes him really likeable. He seems to be a bright and cheerful guy, if slightly awkward, if the way he's wringing the hem of his shirt even after sitting down is any indication.

"Thank you" I smile at him, noticing how his cheeks flush just a little. "I enjoy listening to music as well, but I have never heard any rumours about you, are we in the same school?"

He looks at me as if I've just sprouted a second head.

"Of course we are! You're the head girl that's always annoying Suho-hyung about my locker. The smell isn't as horrible as everyone says, they're just over-sensitive!"

Now that's just not fair.

" _You_ are the guy that keeps neglecting his responsibilities? And the smell is terrible!"

"No, not really. It's just, when Yeol and I get back from gym classes, we sometimes forget to take the dirty laundry back home, so we kinda just leave the clothes in the locker until the end of the month and wash it in the restroom with hot water and soap. And then, while it dries – in our locker, of course – the humidity in that tiny space kind of causes some…less pleasant mildew to form. We've been trying to get rid of it with hairspray, but that didn't work."

Nothing can be heard for a few seconds, until…

"Hairspray?"

"It kills spiders, too!"

The offence that's dripping from every letter sinks into me and I start laughing, first quietly and then louder when the image of Baekhyun with a bottle of hairspray in his hand, fending off spiders, forms in my mind. This is the single most embarrassing and hilarious story I've ever heard. I tell him so, and he smiles.

"Really? I've got a lot more!"

His next words, however, are interrupted violently by the sound of water splashing all over Baekhyun's cherry-blossom pink hair, face, and white shirt, which subsequently becomes see-through.

Baekhyun looks so dumbfounded that I'm tempted to start laughing again, but that would be hurtful, so I refrain.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry!" Minho apologizes in a frantic voice, and he attempts to hurry off to find a towel, when suddenly, Baekhyun smiles comfortingly.

"Don't sweat it, Minnie. It's no big deal."

And just like that, he takes off his shirt, displaying his defined arms, built chest and taut abdominal muscles for my – and the entire patio's – viewing pleasure. The beginnings of a blush try to fight themselves on my cheeks, but I refuse to let them show. Keep a level head, Taeyeon.

"Byun Baekhyun, this is a display of public indecency and could get you arrested! At least put on a jacket!"

Baekhyun grins mischievously. "You just don't want the other girls to stare at me, right, Noona?"

Minho gasps scandalized. "Baekhyun!"

"That's not true. I just rather wouldn't have our date end with having to call your parents and explain to them why they have to bail you out."

Baekhyun visibly blanches.

And he puts on his jacket, which counts as a victory in my book.

Minho excuses himself to get some towels to wipe up the water that managed to get on the floor. I could swear I see him pulling out a mobile phone as he disappears behind the "Employees only" door.

"Seriously, you're almost as bad as that stupid unicorn."

He messes up his hair, causing the jacket to reveal another glimpse of his pale skin. Keep cool.

"Stupid unicorn?"

"Lay. From Exo-M. Always looks mildly confused and kind of stoned, is afraid of pigeons – remind me to tell you the story of how Kai and Sehun managed to place him in ornithology – and friends with that flower-boy, Luhan. Like, the guy is the type to cry over broken toys" He scoffs. "Manly, my ass."

I want to interrupt him, but he just waltzes on.

"Seriously, I bet he's just trying to conceal the fact that he has a naturally androgynous face, and when he bats his lashes, everyone thinks he's a girl. Put him in a dress and give him eyeliner, and maybe he'll be able to finally admit to his feminine side. Neither his personality nor his IQ will improve, but everybody will be able to see him as he is: A whiny, feminine excuse of a boy."

Screw interrupting him. Nobody, absolutely nobody talks like that about my Luhan. Especially not in my presence.

"Luhan is my best friend, and you apparently can't help but give him trouble whenever you see him. Just because he isn't under the illusion that showing emotions makes a man weak, he's beaten up by your friends." I glare at him, noticing with satisfaction that my dark stare makes him squirm in his seat. "Also, you will set the whole ornithology-incident to rights, and make sure that Kai takes responsibility as well. It is against the school's rules and policy to force other students into clubs they don't want.

"When you're done with that, you will apologize to Luhan. He's my best friend, we go way back. He's honest, funny, and always cheers me up – he's there for me when no one else is. So what right do you have to insult him, Baekhyun of Exo-K?"


	7. The Big Fall-Out

" _Love needs time in order to be proven" – Lu Han_

 **Luhan's POV**

If I had a time machine, I'd kill whoever invented math.

And the person that had introduced the compulsory school system.

Wait, wha-?

Oh, right. Yeah. Math, time travel, killing people in cold blood. And some people say that school helps build your character. Apparently, I don't have the proper foundation to be a functioning member of society. What a pity.

Miserable, I stare at my halfway-completed math assignment and – after I make several unfulfillable promises to whatever deity is willing to support my cause – start contemplating to just throw the damn textbook out of the window, my phone rings.

 _Thank you, God, Buddha, Holy Spaghetti Monster!_

"What can I do you for, my darling friend?" I nearly yell in joyful glee. Take that, math!

"Sorry for disturbing you this late, Lu" Taeyeon apologizes in a soft voice usually reserved for post-breakup talks.

"No problem, what is it, hm?" Something is up, I can tell. Taeyeon is usually way more straight to the point, she never beats around the bush with anybody…unless she's really, truly uncomfortable with the topic.

"I know we agreed not to talk about it, but Baekhyun, that guy you set the date up with, told me about the whole Exo-M/Exo-K mess, and I want to hear your side of the story before I believe a word he said. I know you wouldn't act the way you do around them without a good reason, so please tell me."

Scratch the whole Math-is-hell-please-rescue-me-shit, this is way worse. That moron Baekhyun may have told her all kinds of lies to make his own ragtag band of friends the tragic heroes of the story.

Asshole.

"Don't worry, Tae, it's fine. Just promise you'll listen till the end, alright? It's kind of a long story…"

 **Age 6**

" _I don't wanna! You can't make me!" I bawl my eyes out when my parents tell me that we're moving to Seoul because Father got transferred. It's a scary thought, a foreign school, foreign people, a foreign language. I don't want to leave all my friends._

" _Luhan, baby, this is for the best. You'll learn the language easily enough, and with your personality, you'll also make many friends who'll help you. It isn't easy for us, either, but your father will earn more money this way, and buy you lots of new toys and ice cream, okay?"_

 _I stop sobbing and stare up at Mother wide-eyed. "Coffee ice cream?"_

" _Yes, baby. As much as you like."_

 **Age 7**

" _Why isn't Mother coming home, Father?" I ask, sobbing quietly. I feel like I haven't stopped crying since she left two weeks ago, afraid that any day now, Father will take me to buy a black suit and white lilies for her funeral._

" _She is fine, Luhan, wherever she is. She wants to talk to you, so wait a minute, alright?"_

 _I nod my head, waiting obediently._

 _My father returns with a phone in hand. His knuckles are white. "Here."_

 _I'm left alone with the phone, and so I press it to my ear, wanting to hear my mother's voice. "Lu Han? Baby, are you alright?" Unlike Father, she always talks to me using Mandarin. "I miss you, my little deer."_

" _When are you coming back?"_

 _There is silence on the other end. "Baby," she says, her voice gentle. "I won't be coming back. I'm in China, with your aunt. Korea-"_

 _She says more, but I can't make out what exactly since I've thrown the phone against the wall._

 **Age 8**

" _Hello, my name is Xi Lu Han, I'm from China!"_

 _The class stares at me, and I hear some of my new classmates giggling quietly._

" _Alright Luhan," The homeroom teacher says. "Why don't you go sit with Taeyeon over there? She's been taking classes in Mandarin, she'll be able to help you catch up."_

 _The teacher points to a pretty blond girl in the front row, and I meekly walk over to sit next to her. She smiles at me, and I smile back._

 _The second the teacher turns around to the board, a wet…something hits the back of my head. For a short moment, I wonder what it is, and before I realize it, I've started to cry. Taeyeon looks at me, then she turns around._

" _Do that one more time, Yejun, and I'll tell the teacher." She glares at him for good measure and offers me a handkerchief. "I'm Kim Taeyeon, I hope we can be friends!" She says it in Mandarin. I smile through my tears._

" _I'd be happy"_

 **Age 9**

 _I slam the door to our house behind me, stomping up the stairs._

" _Luhan? What happened?" A male voice asks in perfect Korean._

 _My father appears at the foot of the stairs, looking angry. He doesn't appreciate it when I 'throw a fit' but right now, I don't care._

 _Tears streak down my face, and I rant in fast, angry Mandarin, "I hate this city, I hate this school I hate this house and I have these people! I hate your job, I hate that you always only talk Korean and I hate, hate, hate you!"_

 _In the wake of my outburst, everything is quiet. Then-_

" _You have house arrest. Use the time to practice your Korean, Luhan."_

 _I want to scream._

 **Age 10**

 _I walk into the classroom prepared for insults, laughs and fingers pointing at me. Though my Korean is better now, my accent is clearly audible, and people always make fun of me for it._

 _I look for a seat in the back, out of sight, out of mind. But, just as luck would have it, two other boys had the same idea._

 _The boys – one looking scary as hell and the other looking kind of sleepy – look at me. The scary one is the first to speak._

" _You're Chinese, right?"_

 _Here we go. "Yeah, why?"_

 _He smiles, and suddenly he looks more like a panda than a murderer. "Me and Lay too! I'm Huang Zi Tao, nice to meet you!"_

 _I can only stare at him. "You're Chinese? And you speak Mandarin?"_

 _He nods enthusiastically. "Yes!"_

 _I could cry. "My name is Xi Lu Han. And I really need help with my Korean." I reply in Mandarin. Tao laughs._

" _Don't worry, Lu Han-ge. We'll help you!"_

 **Age 11**

" _So, who are those guys you want us to meet?" I ask Kris, the quasi-leader of our group._

" _They're Suho's friends. They're okay, don't worry."_

 _I nod sceptically. I normally would jump at the opportunity to make new friends, but since I have Umin-hyung, Tao, Kris, Lay and Chen, I'm content. Whatever, if they're Kris' friends, they can be my friends, too._

 _We arrive at the park and gather at our usual spot, a big Gingko Tree off to the side._

" _Okay, so who wants ice cream?"_

 _The five of us raise our hands in perfect sync at Kris' question and he grins._

" _Okay, let me guess, Coffee for Luhan, chocolate for Tao, banana for Chen, peach for Lay and lemon for Xiumin?"_

 _We nod in unison. It must look a bit creepy._

" _Don't worry, Kris, I'll buy. Sehun, Kai, would you be so kind?"_

 _My head turns to the sound of the new voice. A blond boy stands there with five others around him, handing a gangly boy some cash and thanking him in advance. Gangly boy nods, bored, and proceeds to the ice cream parlor, tugging a tanned boy with him._

" _Hi everyone, I'm Suho, and these guys are Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Kyungsoo, called D.O, and the ones that just left are Sehun and Kai," he says, pointing at them in turn. D.O, I immediately decide, is the one guy I don't want to piss off. Ever. The others seem nice enough, especially Chanyeol whose grin appears to be permanent._

 _Kris introduces us, stating that he'll pay for our ice cream, but he's being brushed off by Suho. "Oh no, this is our first meeting, I already paid anyways."_

 _Kris looks slightly rebuffed, but shrugs. "Okay, whatever you say"_

 **Age 12**

" _Hyung, you're doing it wrong!"_

 _Sehun raises his arm and curls it over his head. "Come on, let's make a heart. I'll teach you how to do Aegyo!"_

 _I smile and obey. I don't like acting cute, it makes me look like a girl, but Sehun needs the extra cuteness. He's so grumpy all the time._

 _We make a heart, and Suho snaps a picture. "This is my new background," he informs us, smiling like a proud mother._

" _Wow, Mom, why are those two your background? Why not us?" Baekhyun pouts theatrically, and Kris scoffs. "Who would want to see your face every time they looked at their phone?"_

" _Take that back!"_

 _I laugh, together with the rest of Exo – as our peers have taken to calling us – as Baekhyun and Kris get in a verbal fistfight, with Suho trying to break them up._

 **Age 13**

" _What do you mean, your father left?"_

 _Kris shrugs. "What do you think I mean, Luhan? I mean he's gone. Disappeared. I don't want to talk about it."_

 _I cast a worried glance at our friends before I switch to Mandarin. "C'mon Kris. I want to help you,_ we _want to help you, alright? We are one, remember?"_

 _He smiles lightly at the reminder of our group project a few months prior, when we had to think up slogans._

 _He sighs. "Things haven't been so good for some time between my mother and him. He's been drinking a little too much and often didn't come home after work. Mom was worried, of course, but then he came home one night, drunk and angry, and he and Mom got in a fight. I didn't understand much, but the next day, he was gone."_

 _I look at Kris, strong, cool Kris, and know that his father isn't coming back. His eyes swim with tears that haven't started to fall yet, and understand the reason for his unkempt hair, pale skin and not-as-high-end clothing. I also understand why he only brings lunchboxes to school instead of eating the canteen's food._

" _It's going to be alright. We're here for you, and even if it is rough at first, we'll help you however we can, okay? It won't hurt like this forever."_

 _I swallow. "When the shock has worn off, you'll be angry and so, so hurt. When Mother left, I questioned myself, wondering if it was my fault." I know that Tao has started crying behind us, but I ignore it. Lay will comfort him. "But it isn't, Kris, okay? It's not your fault, and all you can do is try to live your life to the best of your abilities. This won't destroy you, even if you feel broken. I promise."_

 _Kris looks at me and smiles. It's watery, but there. "Thanks, Luhan."_

 **Age 14**

" _Leave me alone, Suho!"_

" _But Kris, it's fine, really! It isn't your fault that you don't have much money, I'll pay for you!"_

" _Goddamnit Suho, you cannot solve everything with money!"_

 _Kris leaves the shop, and naturally, our original group follows him._

" _Kris, wait!"_

" _Kris!"_

" _Cold guy!"_

" _Fashion police, don't leave us to our own devices!"_

 _Miraculously, he stops at that._

" _What is it?"_

" _Kris, Suho didn't mean it like that. I know he sounded like a douche, but it was an accident. Let's love, okay?" Lay's words do nothing to deter Kris, however._

" _Lay, quit making excuses for them. Haven't you noticed how they've been treating us over the past year? How Chanyeol and Baekhyun always bully Tao, how Suho always throws money at every problem between us as a group, how they always make fun of Luhan for being who he is? Didn't you notice how D.O always hits us, even Chen? We basically apologize when we talk in Chinese because they act as if it is a crime, ignoring the fact that when Luhan and I were still learning Korean, they didn't bother to explain what they said, no, they made fun of us! And Luhan, I know you and Sehun are friends, but can you remember a single instance where he actually defended you the same way you always defended him?_

" _So please, guys, tell me if I'm wrong, because I don't think I am!"_

 _I mull over his words in my head._

" _Hey, flower princess!" I hear Chanyeol yell. "Shut it, pretty boy," I hear D.O say. "Manly man, my ass" I hear Baekhyun snicker. "This Hyung is so ugly," I remember Sehun commenting my laugh. I see how Baekhyun hits Tao, how Kai tells Lay off, how Suho always throws pitying looks in Kris' direction._

 **Present day**

"That was on the last day of the schoolyear. Our respective groups didn't talk to each other, and when the semester started, the first thing Baekhyun said to us was 'Oh look, the scrounger and his friends!' It kinda grew from there."

On the other end of the line, Taeyeon is silent, processing the information most likely.

"I knew it," she whispers, sounding relieved. "Thank you for telling me, Luhan. I'm sorry for doubting you."

I smile. "It's fine. I'm glad you wanted to hear my side first before jumping to conclusions. It was an ugly ending, and I don't like dragging up the memories, so let's talk about something else, okay? How was your date?"


	8. Heart Attack

" _It seems like I can touch you but my hand goes through empty air" – Byun Baekhyun_

 **Baekhyun's POV**

It's times like these when I seriously contemplate murdering my friends. Not only did they start to grill me the second I walked into class this morning, no, they also didn't stop pestering me until the teacher called on us – well, me.

Now, I'm sitting alone in the schoolyard, since I don't want to be pestered about yesterday's date with Taeyeon.

Ah, Taeyeon. She's so beautiful, and smart, and popular, and I'm pretty sure that she's mad at me because of that over-the-top pretty boy.

"Oh Baekhyun! You didn't think we'd leave you all alone, did you?" – Kai.

"Yes, Hyung, you have to tell us about your date!" – Sehun.

"Did everything go alright?" – Suho.

"How badly did you mess up?" – D.O.

"Did she slap you in the face?" – Chanyeol.

"Chanyeol, Sehun, I'll fucking kill you, you assholes!" I yell. When I got home yesterday, my mom nearly cried with anger, while my father will probably disown me. "You dyed my hair pink you dumbasses! How dare you!"

Sehun, the little brat, has the gall to laugh. "It looks good on you, Hyung!"

"Don't lie! And tell me how to get it out!"

Chanyeol smirks. "Sorry, Baek, that won't be happening so soon. We made sure."

"You two did what?" Oh god, I could swear I can see steam coming out of Suho's ears. "You ruined his date!"

"What do you mean ruined? He can manage that just fine on his own!" At that remark, even D.O cracks a smile.

"Whatever," I mumble embarrassed. "And don't worry, Sehun, the date went just fine. Even if Minho spilled water on me."

"Just water?"

Why does Chanyeol sound so disappointed?

"That's bad enough, don't you think?"

But before Chanyeol can answer, an angry voice calls out.

"KIM JONGIN!"

Suho flinches at the volume even if it's not his name that's being called, and our heads turn to see a very pissed-off looking Tao and an earnest looking Chen stalking towards us.

I know for a fact that Tao is a crybaby and afraid of ghosts. But I also know that he is a martial arts artist and can get very protective when it comes to his friends – and that he isn't afraid to attack people who can't defend themselves against people like him.

And Chen, though he is primarily a happy-go-lucky guy and cheekbones dude who's kind to everyone, he can pack a punch if necessary – his right hook isn't a joking matter, he broke a guy's jaw using it.

Tao, who has enough brain to notice the teacher throwing a look in our direction, comes closer so that he can speak at a normal volume.

"What the hell were you freaks thinking?! I don't know which one of you – never mind. Sehun, how dare you put Umin-hyung and Lay-ge in ornithology? Do you have any idea what this means for them?" Tao gets right into Sehun's face, glaring at him fiercely. "I know you don't have a heart in that chest cavity of yours, but that will not stop me from kicking your sorry ass!"

"Now wait just a second, Sehun, you did what?" Suho sounds scandalized, even if I can see a spark of amusement in his eyes. He's a good liar, I'll give him that – after all, he's the guy that told Sehun to keep a low profile about the whole thing.

Sneaky.

"Well, everyone wants to have a little fun sometimes, right?"

I can see how Tao gets closer to snapping, before he takes a deep breath and smiles suddenly. "You know what? You're right. I also want to have a little fun once in a while. And you, brat, can be my entertainment."

Sehun raises his hand, intent to push Tao away, but in an instant Chen is there, grabbing his wrist harshly. "Touch him and you'll regret it."

Kai lets out a bark of laughter. "Oh, scary. Because everybody knows how very manly and strong you guys are, right, crybaby?" He asks, looking straight at Tao.

But this time, Tao is not perturbed and doesn't rise to the bait. He just looks calmly at Kai, his eyes like ice. "Don't think for a second that we don't know what you did to Luhan. Insults are one thing, but if you peabrains believe that you can get away with messing with one of us, you're wrong. We'll make you pay."

Kai wants to retort, but Chen cuts him off. "And just so you know, D.O, if you think you can fuck Luhan-hyung over, then you've got another thing coming. We won't let you run to the headmaster and claim that he isn't helping you. In fact, rest assured. We are going to be so kind to do your work for you."

D.O glares. "As if I'd believe you."

I shake my head. "It's not our fault that flower boy ran face-first into Kai's fist. Or that you are too incompetent to file your own assignments. Now buzz off, we're having a good time here and you're kinda ruining it."

"Oh, just like you ruined your only chance with Taeyeon when you talked shit about Luhan and us all in front of her?" Chen grins at me. "I don't know how you did it, shit-for-brains, but I'm impressed. You managed to ruin it in less than half an hour."

I bristle. "I didn't ruin it, bitch. In fact, we have another date next week, and she told me she's looking forward to it already. And it's not like I told Taeyeon any lies – I just told her about how you guys always freeloaded off of us and then one day just decided to drop the act and pretend everything that ever went wrong in your lives is somehow tied back to us."

Chen only continues to grin, but Tao glares at me, and I remember what my first impression of him was: _He'll kill me and my body will never be found!_

"Funny, 'cause I heard something along the lines of you saying what _a whiny, pathetic excuse of a boy_ he is. And that Taeyeon totally chewed you out for it."

"First of all, I didn't say pathetic, I said feminine. Second, she didn't. She just made it clear that-"

"Chen, here you are! I've been searching all over the place for one of you guys! I cannot seem to find Lu anywhere, have you seen him?"

Blond perfection jogs over to us, her uniform and hair impeccable. She gives Chen and Tao a hug when she reaches us, all of her attention on them, a concerned look on her pretty face.

"Oh, hey Taeyeon," Chen greets, his sinister smile being replaced by a genuine, warm one.

"T-Taeyeon, hi!" I mentally curse myself for my stutter. How embarrassing. I bet my face is the same colour of my hair – a vibrant strawberry pink.

"Oh, hi Baekhyun. I didn't know you guys were on speaking terms." Her voice is reserved, and I have the sudden urge to make up with the Exo-M guys, if only to show Taeyeon that I am a decent guy.

"Don't worry Tae, everything's cool. There isn't any trouble." The unspoken _yet_ is clearly audible.

"Well," she says, disbelief colouring her gentle voice, "if you say so…"

She gives me a smile, not as kind as the one yesterday, but it brightens my mood all the same.

I feign concern. "Say, Taeyeon, what do you need flow- _Luhan_ for?"

For a split second, I'm afraid she'll call my bluff, but her worry overrides her protectiveness. "I told you about the art contest, remember? Well, my sketchpad disappeared, and I wanted to ask him to help me look for it. But since I can't find him…" She turns towards the crybaby panda and Chen. "Do you know what's up with him? He sounded fine on the phone when I called him last."

Tao spares us a suspicious look. Chen frowns a little. "Can we talk somewhere more private?"

Taeyeon looks surprised for all but a second before her expression hardens. "Of course, Chen Chen."


	9. Rain

" _In the black and white world, you were the only ray of light" – Kim Taeyeon_

 **Taeyeon's POV**

"We're in private now," I say, turning my worried gaze to Chen and Tao. "What happened to Lu?"

"You know about Kris, right?" Chen looks uncharacteristically earnest as he exchanges a look with Tao.

I nod. "Yes, of course, what about him? Did something happen?"

"Yeah, well, he and his mom are kinda fighting, so Luhan went over to him to make sure everything turns out okay. You know she tends to get a little… rough when she's upset."

I nod my head grimly. Kris acts all though and cool, but when you get to know him, he's a sensitive guy, prone to being silly and sometimes reckless, and he protects his friends just like Luhan does – without hesitation or care for the consequences.

"I see. Don't worry, you know Luhan, he'll surely be able to smooth things over like usual. But guys, what's more important, Lay ended up at the infirmary."

Tao and Chen stare at me for a moment, disbelieving. It's understandable, it is Lay we're talking about, after all. In all the years I've known him, Lay has only gotten sick twice, and both times he only stayed home for a day before he was up and running again, so it's disconcerting.

"He what? How? What happened?"

"Did he get beaten up like Luhan-hyung?"

"No, nothing of the sort," I answer, "apparently he just fainted in the middle of the hallway. His classmates told me he was fine during the lesson, but when he walked out of the classroom he just collapsed." I bite my lip thinking about it. I would've gone to him, but the teacher had told me to not disturb him until the nurse was done checking on him.

"But you can't go see him right now, the nurse isn't done with him yet," I add, since the both of them look like they want to take off towards the infirmary to make sure Lay isn't in mortal danger.

"Maybe he ended up with a concussion, just like Lu-"

"Taeyeon, may I have a word with you? It's really important," Suho interrupts whatever Tao wanted to say, and I send him an apologetic look. I would love to help Lay and Kris, but right now, I have to think of all the students.

"Of course, Suho"

He smiles warmly at me, glancing sharply at Chen and Tao. "Could you both give us some-"

"Privacy?" Chen cuts Suho off, smirking. "But of course, _Mom._ " With that, he takes Tao's wrist and leads him away, presumably to go see Lay against all odds. I wouldn't even be surprised if they manage to get to him despite the nurse telling them to stay away. They'll probably charm her into letting them see Lay.

"You see, Taeyeon, we have planned this trip, remember? When can we work out the details?"

I direct my surprised gaze back over to Suho, cocking my head in slight confusion. "At the Student Council Meeting, as planned?"

He has the grace to blush. "Right. I'm sorry for interrupting your conversation over something so pointless."

So that is what Luhan meant when he said "it kind of grew from there". Their mutual dislike is way more earnest than I originally thought, even after hearing Luhan's story.

"No problem, Suho. I have to take care of something, if you'd excuse me?" And just like that, I'm gone, entering the school building once again. My eyes need a few moments to adjust to the dimness of the open hall, since the sun has finally graced Seoul with its smile today.

In a few weeks, a 'Foreign Languages' contest will be held at our school. Right now, we have our contestants for the languages French, Japanese, Spanish, Russian and German.

We still need one student for English and Chinese each, and luckily, I know exactly who to ask.

On my way to the future English contestant I see a fellow member of the Student Council, Min Yoongi, called Suga for whatever reason. His appearance and expression don't match his nickname at all, even if his hair colour – a vibrant turquoise – suggest a certain kind of mischievousness. He's in charge of supervising the students' uniforms, and therefore has to make sure that ties are tied properly, the shirt are buttoned, the shoes polished and so on.

Our school is pretty easygoing when it comes to hair dye, piercings and jewellery, but to compensate for that, the rules for the uniforms and general behaviour are even stricter than usual.

As I enter the classroom, I'm somewhat astounded by the quietness. The classroom is almost completely empty save for one boy.

The one boy I'm looking for. Kim Namjoon, or, as the rest of the school – and some gangs downtown – knows him: Rap Monster.

"Hello, Namjoon. I'm not interrupting you, am I?"

He doesn't respond, and after taking a closer look, I realize why: He has earbuds plugged in, and is probably listening to some American rapper. I shake my head lightly. If it were anyone else, I'd report them, but Namjoon is the kind of guy who can bend the rules without getting scolded. He _is_ , after all, in the top 1.3% of the nation.

I walk closer to tap him on the shoulder, but the moment my shadow falls over him, he yanks the earbuds out, stuffs them into his bag and looks up at me with an incredibly innocent expression that I'm not buying for a second.

"Hello, Noona. How may I help you?"

That's one of the many things I like about Namjoon. Even though he has an IQ of 148, he doesn't act like he's better than everyone around him. He is the kind of person almost everyone likes instantly, and he's always polite, and friendly to his dongsaengs.

He's also very straight-forward, which is something I find myself appreciating.

"I wanted to ask you to be our representative for English during the upcoming 'Foreign Languages' contest. You know that our school takes pride in the fact that we have won the contest for ten years in a row now, and with you as a contestant, it'll be certain victory."

He gives me a warm smile. "Would I ever say no to you, Noona?"

I smile back. "Of course not. This is why I came personally instead of asking someone else. We can prepare during the Haekwon, alright? I still have to take care of something."

"Sure thing, Noona. Don't overwork yourself, you know what happened to Yixing-hyung"

I have five minutes left till the break is over, and in that time, I have to do my best to make sure that Luhan will be our representative for Mandarin.

I know it sounds biased, but Mandarin is Luhan's native tongue, and even though he speaks Korean as fluently as anyone who was born in Korea, he still sometimes switches to Mandarin when he's really excited or upset.

"Ah, seonsaegnim! Do you have a minute?" The deputy headmistress turns around and gives me a tight-lipped smile.

"Of course, Taeyeon. What is it?"

"I wanted to propose Luhan as our representative for Mandarin in the contest," I say, praying that she'll just accept without giving me a hard time. I have a plan for that, but still.

"I'm sorry, Taeyeon. But we cannot allow a ruffian like that to sully our school's reputation, find someone else."

"But, seonsaegnim, what about we let the student decide? We live in a democracy, and the students should have a say in this matter. After all, they are the school, right? And in case the student don't want Luhan to represent them, we still have Tao or Yixing. Just yesterday, you said that we students need to learn how to take responsibility to become useful members of society. I think this would be a great chance to show the students that the teachers trust them and that they have faith that the students will be responsible adults."

I give her my best puppy-dog-eyes look. "We could do the voting tomorrow during Lunch Break, or right now using Line. It wouldn't take a lot of time."

She looks at me and nods, defeated. "Well, Taeyeon, have it your way. But I want Suho to supervise this."

"Of course, seonsaegnim."

Two hours later, I cause Yoona to spill her drink all over our table because I bump my fist in the air, yelling "Luhan, you did it!" Looks like we have all our contestants.


	10. Your Song

" _Whenever you're frowning, let me give you comfort" – Lu Han_

 **Luhan's POV**

"I did not raise you to be such an irresponsible child, Jia Heng !" Kris' mom yells.

"My name is Wu Yifan, mother," Kris shouts back, completely out of character. Our leader is usually so cool and reserved that this screaming match with his mother is really off-throwing. "I changed it two days ago, you can't do anything about it!"

"How could you do such a thing? Your father named you after his father! It's a tradition in his family!"

"The father who left us, you mean?!"

The sound of skin hitting skin echoed through the living room as Mrs. Li's open palm collided with her son's cheek.

For a moment, everything was silent. I see how Kris' shoulders square, and I know that it's time I said something before the situation escalates any further. This is, after all, the reason Kris asked me to come with him in the first place.

"Mrs. Li, I understand that you're angry about Kris' decision. But please, try to understand his reasoning, too. He does not feel any kind of emotional bond to his father or his father's family."

"Lu Han, it is no concern of yours how I react to my son's imbecile decision!"

"But Mrs. Li, please consider his situation! He hasn't talked to his father for years, even though he always tried to contact him. He just can't deal with the emotional neglect anymore," I try to reason. Honestly, dealing with Kris' mother is tiring on a good day, but when she's upset it gets worse. Plus, recently the tension between her and our leader has grown, and I don't know how much more their strained relationship can take before it crumbles.

"Even if I were to accept the name change, there's still the matter of his slipping grades!"

"I've only slipped from 95.6 to 94.1, big deal! Do you have any idea how hard it is to juggle three part-time jobs and taking care of the house while trying to maintain my grades?"

Oh Kris, you've _really_ done it this time. Kris has tried to tell his mother that everything becomes too much sometimes, since instead of attending Haekwons like almost everyone else at our school he works as a waiter, as a deliver boy and – since about five months – as a baby sitter.

It's just about enough to keep the small apartment he and his mother live in since Kris' father left them.

"How dare you talk to your mother like that!"

"Mrs. Li-"

"No! This is the final straw, get out of my house, both of you, and don't come back!"

"Fine!" Kris nearly screams and turns on his heel, slamming the door to the living room/kitchen/dining room behind him, making the windows rattle.

I take one look at Mrs. Li's face and run after him.

"And what am I supposed to do now? I can't afford an apartment, not to mention I'm a minor and not even allowed to rent one," Kris sighs. We're at the bus station a few minutes away from his former home, waiting.

"I think we can ask Lay and Xiumin to take you in. Since Xiumin's parents are still in China and Lay's parents travel around the world because of their business, they have a pretty cool apartment, remember?"

"Yeah, sure, but I can't pay the rent."

"Kris," I say, and put a hand on his shoulder. He looks at me, and I can see the tears that he'd never allow to fall brimming in his eyes. "Don't worry about that. After all that we've been through together, do you seriously believe we'd let you down? Any of us?"

Kris looks surprised for a moment before he smiles. "You're right. Sorry, Gege."

When we arrive at Lay and Xiumin's apartment, a delicious smell hits us.

"Oh my God, who cooked that?" I can't help but ask.

"The restaurant three blocks down," Xiumin answers with a grin, signalling us to follow him. We take off our shoes to oblige, entering the kitchen area. Even tough Lay can cook just fine, sometimes when he's tired from school they just order take-out from an international restaurant. They're adventurous like that.

"What cuisine is it this time?" Kris asks, eyes curious. Even if he can't cook for shit, he's always interested in foreign culture.

"Italian. We ordered…what is it called again?"

"Minestrone and Farfalle" Lay answers. At our dumbfounded looks, he elaborates, "A kind of soup and pasta."

I snap my fingers with a 'Eureka' kind of expression. "I see!" I exclaim.

Kris and Xiumin start to laugh, while Lay simply smiles. "I'm glad, Gege."

Ah, he's so cute and innocent. If more people were like him, the world would be a better place. Kris swallows a bit nervously and fidgets, not something he is prone to do. Then again, he's never been in this kind of situation before.

"Xiumin-ge, Lay, I know this is sudden and inappropriate –"

"He got kicked out by his mom and wanted to ask if he could come live with you two." I interrupt.

"Gege, I wanted to ask that myself!"

"Sorry"

"Kris-ge, it's fine, really. We have the space, and it's not like you're a burdensome person to be around."

"Of course you can live with us, Kris. It was just a matter of time, really, we would have offered you to live here anyway. We just didn't want to offend you."

Kris smiles shakily. "Thanks, guys."

I often walk home alone, even if the other members of Exo-M offer to give me a ride or to accompany me. It's the only time of the day I'm really alone, the only time I can relax completely and just let my thoughts wander.

It's also the only time I can talk to my mother without my father getting mad. What he doesn't know won't hurt him, right?

As if on cue, my phone rings, the familiar ringtone I've set for my mom making me smile.

"Hello, mom," I say in Chinese. We always speak Mandarin with each other, never Korean. Whereas at home, I'm only allowed to speak Korean, but never Mandarin.

"Hello, huzi." Her voice is as warm and soft as I remember it. Ever since I was little, this was the only sound that could soothe me enough to endure heights. Her voice was the only thing keeping me grounded on the flight from China to Korea back then.

"How is my boy?"

"I'm fine, I guess. A friend of mine has some trouble at home, but it's fine now. I got sent to the headmaster again for a brawl but-"

"It wasn't your fault."

I smile. This is one of the reasons I love my mother so much. She gets me, and doesn't scold me all the time like Father, even if she can be just as strict sometimes.

"Exactly. But because of that, Xiumin-ge and Lay ended up in Ornithology"

"Aren't they afraid of birds?"

"Yeah, I got beaten up when trying to fill the application for the After-school clubs we have to take. They were both sick, so they asked me to do it for them, but yeah."

"You were injured? How bad is it?" Her voice is immediately concerned and somewhat frantic.

"I just have a really minor concussion, according to Lay. You know he's been going on about becoming a doctor, and he said that it's nothing to worry about. I've got a split lip and Kai punched me in the gut, but other than that, I'm just peachy."

"Mix a bit of Aloe Vera and lemon juice, and then soak a piece of bread with it. Press it against the cut, okay? It's a natural disinfectant, and it accelerates the healing process."

"Really? That's awesome! It's been oozing pus like mad, really…and it's way too painful."

She laughs a little. "Don't worry, huzi. It'll be just fine by morning. Just don't scratch at it when it starts to burn, okay?"

"Yes, mother," I reply. Seriously, I'm really glad that she knows those little tricks when it comes to treating wounds and aches, but it's always been like that.

Absentmindedly, I unlock the front door of the apartment complex and hurry to the elevator, tipping in the code for the penthouse. I can't believe my father bought it, but since he's basically been given promotions non-stop since he established himself in the company he works for, he has enough money to afford it.

"What are you going to do about your situation with that other group…Exo-K, was it?"

I shake my head, even if she can't see it. "I'm not sure. I'm not starting any trouble, but they kind of always go for me"

"How about you tell your friends that and you work out a plan? You can't afford any more of those incidents, huzi."

"I know, it's just-"

" _Xi Luhan, who are you talking to?!_ "

I freeze, and my mother laughs wistfully. "Don't worry, Lu Han, I'll call again next week, okay? Don't argue with him for my sake."

I swallow. "As you say, Mother" I reply, still speaking Mandarin. He understands, of course he does, and his face grows white instead of red. Mother hangs up, and I pocket the phone.

"I told you to stop speaking to her."

"And I didn't." I'm still speaking Mandarin, just to piss him off. I can't stand that he always talks Korean and ignores our Chinese roots.

"Talk Korean, young man!" He commands, and I just grin.

"As you wish, _appa_ " I know he hates to be addressed informally, but oh well. Sometimes, I can't help it.

"Xi Luhan, you will-"

"Whatever. I'll be back later," I say, and punch the button for the lobby.

After having a quick group chat, I stand in front of Xiumin and Lay's apartment door once again.

"There you are, Lu Han-ge," Xiumin says and lets me in. "The others arrived a bit earlier, so we ordered some take-out. I hope you don't mind."

"Is it Chinese?" I'm really craving something from back home.

"Of course it is!" Chen yells from the living room.

"Shut it, Chen!" I yell back, grinning stupidly. I'm way too happy right now.

"Hey, Lay, do you have some Aloe Vera? My plant is kind of…not looking so good right now." It's a lie, but I don't want everyone worrying about me.

"I wouldn't let your gift die, Gege," Lay answers, smiling gently. "I'll go get you a leaf, okay? Do you need anything else?"

"A lemon and some bread would be nice."

"Sure thing, Lu Han-ge."

While Lay takes off towards his bedroom, I take a seat on the plush couch Xiumin bought last summer. I can't believe that thing only cost 70000 Won.

"Well, do you have anything specific you need help with, Hyung, or are we just here for a little fun? Not that I mind," Chen quickly adds, "It's just unusual."

"You guys know about the vandalism, right? Well, seonsaegnim told me to work together with D.O to find the guy who's responsible for it, and I told him we'd find him sooner than Exo-K. Also, I kinda can't really get into any more trouble with those freaks, or the headmaster will expel me."

A collective gasp follows my announcement.

" _Say what?_ "

"No way!"

"But it wasn't your fault!"

"Those assholes!"

I smile a little. "Yeah, that's what I thought, too, but…"

"Don't worry, Lu Han. We'll make sure that nothing more happens." God bless you, Kris. "We'll accompany you in the halls, and if Exo-K starts any trouble, we'll take the bullet for you. None of us have been called to the headmaster's office yet, so we should be fine. Also, the teachers don't love all of the Exo-K guys the same, there are some who have…hm, fallen from grace, you could say. We won't let anything more happen to you, Gege."

I could cry, really. "Thanks, guys."

"Anytime!" Xiumin pats my back.

"But, there's something else, too," Tao says.

"What is it, Kung Fu Panda?" I ask, wondering what it could be. There's not much that would be of interest for us.

"Taeyeon's sketchbook disappeared. She isn't sure if she just lost it or if it was stolen, but she wanted you to help her look for it."

"Yeah, sure I'll help her, but I should ask about the date first…"

" _What date?!_ " Xiumin's voice is way too shrill and loud, sometimes.

"I'll explain later-"

"Just call her, put her on speaker and ask! We wanna hear, too!"

Oh Chen, you're such a child sometimes. "Fine," I grumble.

I dial her number, hoping she won't pick up. But, as per usual, no such luck.

"Hi, Luhan, how are you?"

"Hey, Taeyeon," I reply. "I'm just fine, thanks. I just wanted to ask how the date went?"

I gesture for the others to quiet down. Tao's giddy giggling is quite distracting.

"Oh, that," she says. She doesn't sound excited. "Didn't we talk about that already? Well, aside for Baekhyun acting as if you and the rest of Exo-M were antisocial freaks, he was actually very sweet and funny. We have another date on Friday, but I don't think it will lead anywhere."

"What do you mean, antisocial freaks?" Kris speaks up, and I'm just about to high-five him in the face…with a stool.

"Luhan, did you put me on speaker?" Thankfully, Taeyeon doesn't sound angry, just surprised. It's not the first time I've done this.

"Yeah, sorry, forgot to tell you," I say, sounding sheepish.

"Oh no, it's okay. And he just said that you all were friends once, but that one day, you just started to treat them horribly, despite the fact that Suho always took you out to eat and they helped you learn Korean. That kind of stuff. And he insulted you as a group and as individuals, and I couldn't stand that. But since I know how things really were, I'll talk it out with him on Friday. And, Luhan," she adds, "you're the school's official representative for the Foreign Languages Contest, so cheer up a little, alright?"

I love this girl.


	11. Unfair

**Author's note:** Here I am again, and I bring you a new chapter. So far, there haven't been any Reviews, and that's fine, but I'd like to get some Feedback.

Other than that, please enjoy!

" _I'm getting more and more lost in you" – Byun Baekhyun_

 **Baekhyun's POV**

"Well, Bacon, it doesn't look like your date was very memorable," Chanyeol nearly cackles with mirth.

He always says it wrong just to piss me off! " _It's Baekhyun, not bacon!"_

"But, Hyung, don't you think Chanyeol-hyung is right? She didn't even really look at you!" The owner of _that_ voice would never be so worried about me. Or anyone, really.

 _She just didn't because Panda-boy's head was in the way,_ I think.

"Sehun, you little brat, don't think you're fooling anyone. I can see right through you, quit acting respectful!" I snap at him in irritation. I don't know how Kai puts up with him all the damn time, because I sure as hell wouldn't be able to.

Sehun's concerned façade melts away like ice in the sun, and his eyes form crescent moons as he coos "Poor Baekhyun, his girlfriend doesn't remember him!" in a voice that makes my toenails roll up.

I scowl. Taeyeon _does_ remember me, thank you very much, she's just concerned for her friend, which is obviously why she went with the Chinese freaks instead of staying here. Then again, she's the head girl and the representative of the student body, so obviously she's very busy. Along with the stress the upcoming art contest must put on her…

"Taeyeon-noona isn't my girlfriend," I say through gritted teeth. Sehun laughs, clapping all the while, and I wish I could strangle or at least hit him, but the only guy who gets away with hitting people in class or, well, at school in general is D.O. But that's only because the teachers gave up on stopping him ages ago.

I guess it could also be because he looks like he'll murder anyone who tries to stop him, but I can't be sure.

"And the date was great, _as I've already told you idiots,_ " I hiss lowly. Chanyeol, as well as Kai, follow Sehun's bad example and laugh in my face. "And, as I'm sure you remember, we have a _second date_ on Friday. So would you stop your cackling and just be happy for me?"

That stops Chanyeol, but Sehun isn't deterred. "Are you sure you didn't just imagine that she agreed to see you again?"

Kai lets out an unattractive snort. "Hey, if she doesn't want to see him again, maybe she'll let me take her out?" He asks playfully. I know he just wants to rile me up, but the thought of him anywhere near the fairy-like beauty that is Kim Taeyeon rubs me the wrong way.

"Keep talking about a girl that is out of both your reaches, and I'll make you regret it."

Chanyeol, Sehun and I freeze, while Kai rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry, Hyung," we say in unison.

D.O looks at us, unimpressed. "Whatever. While you gargoyles were busy with your bitchfight, Suho went to make sure Chen and Tao don't give your darling not-girlfriend any funny ideas about us. After that unfortunate _run-in_ Luhan had with Kai's fist," he glowers a little and I feel my blood turn to ice, "I advise we keep a low profile for some time. Not every teacher is as hostile towards Luhan as the deputy headmistress, some are fond of him as well, like the math and chemistry teachers. Don't forget that when you have a little chat with him next time, got it?" We nod, some more frantic than others. Fuck you and your eternal bitchface, Oh Sehun.

"Now, if you haven't noticed, we've been called out by Exo-M. If they think they're smarter than us, let's prove them wrong. I want to find that damn vandal, if only to see the look on Kris' face when he realizes that we're better than all of them."

After D.O's little speech, silence reigns. Not even our usually sassy Maknae has anything to say, so D.O just nods, satisfied. "Great, and now-"

"Baekhyun-hyung!" May God bless thee, Taehyung, for thou art my saviour.

"Eomma, I really need your help!"

Kim Taehyung's hair is a vivid red, the shade of that lipstick that my mother says make young girls look like sluts. It suits him, though, and only adds to the boyish charm he undoubtedly has. Also, he probably should be glad that one of his friends is part of the Student Council, or he'd get detention until the end of the semester for the way his shirt is rumpled and tie undone.

"Why, did the shop run out of eyeliner again?" Sehun mockingly asks. That was only one time! It's not my fault that the shopkeeper always keeps a few tubes of eyeliner at the back just for me.

"Ah, Sehun-hyung, Chanyeol-hyung, Kyungsoo-hyung, Jongin-hyung, I'm sorry for interrupting!" He does a perfect 90 degree bow for all of them, except for me. I told him when we first met that he can just talk to me like we're the same age, because really, the way Taehyung grins when he's happy just resembles my smiling face so much that, according to Sehun, we could be 'the most headache-inducing twins in history'.

"What is it, V?" His friends all call him by that name, so more or less the whole school does. There are few who call him Taehyung, but that's only because few know his real name. Sehun told me that even their sports teacher calls Taehyung V.

"Well, we have that math assignment I really can't wrap my head around, and when I wanted to ask Rap Mon for help, I saw Taeyeon-noona talking to him, so I didn't want to disturb them. So I came to you instead, Eomma, please tell me you can help me!"

Sehun and Chanyeol start laughing again, and I'm acutely grateful for D.O's violent tendencies, because he elbows Chanyeol in the stomach and hits Sehun on the head.

"Sorry, V, but I suck at math. I only manage to get decent grades because Suho tutors me. But I'm sure Sehun completed the assignment already, he'll let you copy off of him, right?" I turn around and expectantly stare at Sehun, who just looks at me with disbelief written all over his face.

"Really, Hyung? Is that how you want your son to get through school? With cheating?" He sounds so very scandalized that I almost feel bad, until I remember-

"Says the same guy who copied Kai's physics homework last week because he was 'too busy' doing God knows what during the weekend."

"…" Sehun hangs his head. "Fine, whatever you say." He motions for V to follow him. "C'mon squirt, I'll give you that assignment."

I smile happily. There are some advantages to being me.

"So, as a conclusion, we say 'f of x equals x squared'. What goes into the function is put inside parentheses after the name of the function: So f(x) shows us the function is called 'f', and 'x' goes in and we usually see what a function does with the input: f(x) = x2 shows us that function 'f' takes 'x' and squares it. Any questions?"

I want to ask when exactly the alphabet had become a part of mathematics, but I don't want to look stupid in front of the unicorn and his little friend. Especially since they both look like they completely get what the teacher just explained.

When the bell finally rings to lunch break, my stomach is growling and my head is spinning from all the numbers and letters.

I make my way to the Cafeteria with Chanyeol in tow, whose face still looks just as confused as mine during the lesson.

"Did you get that shit?"

"Nope, you?"

"Would I ask you if I did? I'm not Suho."

Chanyeol laughs at that, and I grin as well. Ah, it's good to have friends to laugh with.

"I get in line and you get an explanation from Sehun?"

I frown at Chanyeol's offer. "Meh, can't you deal with the little brat? You've become good friends over mocking me, right?"

"C'mon Baekhyun, be nice to me. I didn't have a date with the hottest girl in school."

"Me neither." At Chanyeol's bemused look I elaborate. "Luhan is still with Xiumin, right?"

At that, my best friend guffaws. "I thought he is with Kris?"

The laughter that's been bubbling up inside me spills over my lips and I double over. "Or maybe the unicorn?"

"Yeah, just imagine, Flower-boy and the unicorn's wedding. How cute!"

"Could you two shut it and fucking move?" The guy behind us – Jackson, is it? – asks in an annoyed voice.

"S-sorry. Just go, Baekhyun."

Saluting, I leave Chanyeol, who's still giggling like a schoolgirl, and make my way through the crowded cafeteria to our usual table, where D.O and Sehun are already seated. They animatedly discuss some thing or the other, and I interrupt them by snatching an apple from Sehun's plate.

"So, Sehunnie, what do you know about mathematical functions?"

He eyes the apple in my hand and answers, "F of x equals fuck you for taking my food. That is the input. The output is, as you surely already know, I'm not helping you." He turns back to D.O to continue their discussion, but then he turns back to me.

Good for him, because otherwise, I'd have to mess up his pretty hair.

"Besides, the whole Student Council table is glaring at you, so I'd take a seat. The table is meant for tablets, not the lazy asses of people unable to grasp the concept of chairs."

A quick look to D.O, who nods an affirmative of Sehun's words, has me looking up. And really, literally every member of the Student Council is glaring at me. Among them, a pair of clear, blueish eyes is fixated on me, and for an instant, I wish I could keep them looking at me forever, no matter if angry or shining with joy.

As long as she looks only at me, as long as she shows me her every emotion and doesn't hide anything from me, I'd be happy.

I shake my head. Where did that come from? Taeyeon, no matter how regal she looks when angry, is glaring at me.

"Well, Romeo, I daresay she wasn't too impressed by you. Better forget about her."

Fuck you, Oh Sehun.

When the bell rings again, the muttering and complaining of students fills the cafeteria. The entire student body tries to leave the cafeteria at the same time, resulting in the usual human traffic jam that signals the departure to another battle with whatever subject we have to deal with next.

"Baekhyun! I wanted to talk to you, do you have a minute?"

Taeyeon's voice doesn't sound angry. She sounds like she's smiling, and that, for some reason, makes me smile in return.

"Sure!" I trill, and I can tell by the shocked look Kai gives me that I must've sounded pretty stupid.

Why do I always mess up in front of her?

"Perfect, can we go over there? It's too loud here, don't you think?"

I nod dumbly and follow her like a puppy.

"Man, he's so whipped." I can hear D.O comment behind us, but I don't care.

She leads me to the back of the room, which is almost empty by now, and turns around with a small frown marring her pretty face.

"Look, Baekhyun, I remember what you told me about your locker, but the students keep on filing complaints and at this rate, the Student Council will be forced to take some kind of action."

My heart just about stops. Not because of the threat of punishment from the Council, but because Taeyeon's worried about having to punish me.

"Tell me, Baekhyun, do you still want to date me?"

"Of course I do!" My reply comes fast and firmly, without any hesitation.

She smiles at me. "Okay. But only after you clear out your locker. You can't take me out while you're in detention, so please try to get rid of the smell, okay?"

Whatever you wish, Taeyeon.

 **Author's note:** Thank you for reading, and please like, favorite or comment - or all three, I wouldn't mind :p

~Dark


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